“I really enjoyed the classes. At QMU there seemed to be a real
emphasis on teaching.”
Chris Mantle
BSc (Hons) Nutrition
Why QMU
Our BSc (Hons) Nutrition course is well
established in QMU’s portfolio and
recently we have developed two new life
sciences courses: one in nutrition and
food science and one in physical activity,
health and wellbeing. Our BSc (Hons)
Nutrition and our BSc (Hons) Nutrition
and Food Science degrees not only fall
under the heading ‘applied life sciences’,
but they are also ‘biological sciences’.
We offer two further courses in the
biological sciences: BSc (Hons) Human
Biology* and BSc (Hons) Applied
Pharmacology*. The first two years of
these four courses are almost identical
allowing students to get the same
grounding in the biological sciences. In
these early years, all students will gain a
solid understanding and appreciation of
the key areas of human physiology,
human biochemistry, cell biology,
microbiology, pharmacology and
immunology. In parallel with these core
subjects, our students also get the
opportunity to enhance their ability in the
areas of laboratory practical skills and
investigative skills (eg data analysis). We
offer a unique structure which allows
students on any of the four ‘biological
sciences’ courses to change direction in
Year Three, enabling them to transfer to
any of the other three courses.
The focus of the BSc (Hons) Physical
Activity, Health and Wellbeing is to
develop the skills and knowledge needed
for working with others using physical
activity to improve their health and
wellbeing.
Our approach to learning and teaching
We aim to provide students with a wide
range of teaching and learning methods.
Aside from traditional lectures and
seminars, you may also benefit from
participating in group and individual
projects, practical classes, web-based
learning and communication/IT
workshops. Self-study learning packs,
problem-solving exercises and case
studies are also ways in which you can
learn. Nutrition and Nutrition and Food
Science students will also participate in
laboratory practicals and you will be
taught by research active food scientists
and registered nutritionists. Visiting
practitioners and service users help to
bring the real-world learning experience
into the classroom for students on the
BSc (Hons) Physical Activity, Health and
Wellbeing. Practical hands-on experience
is a core element of preparation for
work-based learning, and we use the
campus sports centre and practical
classrooms to emulate the settings in
which you are most likely to find
employment.
As all students on our applied life
sciences courses progress, less time will
be spent in lectures and the emphasis
will be on more student-centred and
student-driven approaches. You will also
move from using textbooks as course
materials to a more significant use of
primary research, journal articles and
government legislation and guideline
documents. As a graduate, you will need
a professional development portfolio. We
support you in building your portfolio by
integrating this into course assessment.
This innovative approach is
complemented by more traditional
assessments such as written
assignments, individual and group
presentations, laboratory and project
reports, short tests (multiple choice
questions, short answer formats etc) and
oral examinations. Overall, assessment is
less exam-based in later years.
For Physical Activity, Health and
Wellbeing students, interprofessional
learning takes place each year and you
will work with students on our health
professions courses (see pages 68-97).
This starts by introducing team working
51
and enhancing communication skills, and
then progresses to allow small groups to
work with volunteer service users, and
on to understanding health and social
care systems and organisations. You will
learn to understand the professional
roles and boundaries of others with
whom you will be working, and become
aware of different or shared working
practices. You will also discuss the
changing practices in health and social
care and the wider workings of the NHS,
private practice, voluntary and
independent sectors.
Research
You will be taught by lecturers and PhD
students who are actively engaged with
research and who publish in high impact
academic and professional journals. Our
aim is to ensure that our research
findings link with your learning to keep
this as up to date as possible.
Understanding research helps to develop
and enhance critical thinking and clinical
questioning, which are essential in the
challenging health and social care
practice of today.
All students have the opportunity to
engage with the wide range of research
being undertaken in several ways: as
novice researchers during project work,
being trial participants, or attending
keynote lectures and seminars. Clinical
research can only be undertaken in
collaboration with frontline health and
social care providers, and we have
numerous collaborations with NHS
boards in Scotland, private and social
services, and internationally in Europe
and further afield.
*See pages 64-67.